Apparatus for cleaning materials



p 1943- A J. E. MARTIN I 2,328,565

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS Filed Aug, 16 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR Joan EMARTIN ATTORN EY 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1940 N I T E M 0 m M m W E m Q1 m, M A I 0000000000000000000 mm MMNMMMMMMMMNMMMNMMM 0 m 00000000000000 00000 &.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS Filed Aug. 16, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY p 1943. J. E. MARTIN 2,328,565

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS Filed Aug. 16, 1940 a Sheets-Sheet e S a a 8 Q Q B j 8 Q A, Q .H.. a a 8 3 {I l I [HQ (I N a; g /Q 1: g a

o m 0a 8 (n w/ '3 a; 111 E WW w 1x w- I N m I a g 8 w. $23 '8 g Q m I g Q .i S g Q Q i 89% g, 3 m 3 Q Q Q & W Q g Q Q INVENTOR B JOHN [.MARTIN ATTORNEY Sept, 7, 1943..

J. E. MARTIN 2,328,565

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS Filed Aug. 16, 1940 8 Shets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR g) JOHN E. MARTIN ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 19430 J. E. MARTIN 2,328,565

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS Filed Aug. 16, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR v BYJOHN EMARTIN ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1943 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING MATERIALS John E. Martin, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assignor to J. E. Martin Equipment Corporation, Niagara Falls, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 16, 1940, Serial No. 352,923

6 Claims.

My invention relates more particularly to apparatus for cleaning fabrics, such as clothing, by subjecting them to the action of solvents such as volatile solvents. One object of my invention is to provide a simple, compact, self-contained apparatus comprising a cleaning element, a drying element, a deodorizing element, a filtering element for the solvent and a distilling element for the solvent.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that alternately soaks and rinses the fabrics in rapid succession.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus that shall be substantially vapor tight and will ordinarily not permit fumes of cleaning fluid to escape into the room, to the detriment of the health of persons operating the apparatus.

Still another object of my apparatus is to provide means for distilling the solvent requiring no supervision during the process.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my apparatus seen from the distilling end or right side in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my apparatus seen from the filtering end or left side in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 5 is a plan View.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation in section along line a-a of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is an end elevation in section along line b-b of Fig. 5, seen from the right end in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a ectional elevation of the filter along the line cc of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the filter assembly, partly broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the filter leaves.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the sludge drawer which forms part of the filter element.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged side elevation of the two driving motors, partly broken away to show the driving connection between the two motors.

Fig. 13 i an end elevation of the motors, partly broken away to show further details of the aforesaid connection.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7:

The cleaning and drying assembly comprises washing cylinder l in its housing 2, 3, 4, 5; overhead solvent reservoir 6 comprising top 7, bottom 8 and Walls 9; underneath solvent receiving and. storage tank Ill, comprising top H, bottom [2 and walls l3; solvent pump I4; blower l5; filter I6;

motors l1 and I3 which drive washing cylinder I at low and high speed respectively, and motor 49, which drives pump l4 and blower [5.

Washing cylinder l is mounted on shaft 29, extending transversely of the housing, 1. e., front to rear, and supported at its ends by bearings 2 l, which are carried by front and rear walls 4 and 5 of the housing. Between the ends of washing cylinder l and walls 4 and 5 the clearance is sufficient to avoid rubbing but not to permit free flow of air to the blower 15. The cylindrical shell of washing cylinder I is perforate. Its rear end is closed by plate 22. Its front end is closed by plate 23, through which openings are provided for introduction and withdrawal of the materials to be cleaned. The interior of the washing cylinder is divided by radial partitions 24 into compartments, preferably three in number. An opening is provided in end plate 23 to give access to each compartment. These openings are normally closed by doors 25, hinged at 26 and provided with means 21 for securely locking them. Registering with doors 25, one at a time, when the door is in the position of the uppermost door shown in Fig. 6, is an opening 28 through front wall 4 of the housing. Opening 28 is normally closed by door 29, sliding in guides 30. Door 29 may be securely locked by turning its handle 3|, so as to form a vapor tight closure with front wall 4 of the housing.

Reservoir 6 is secured to housing 2, 3, 4, 5 by flanges 33. The housing is divided by flanges 34 into upper and lower sections, the latter of which is preferably welded to top plate ll of tank It). Housing 2, 3, 4, 5, is provided with a V bottom formed by plates 35, making an obtuse angle with each other. The apex of the V lies directly beneath the axis of the washing cylinder and is parallel therewith. At the left side of the lower section of the housing are two vertical baffles 36, 31, parallel with each other and with side wall 2. The space between bafiies 36 and 3'! forms a passage which is open at the top but closed at the bottom except for passage 38. Solvent may flow freely outward through passage 38, but reverse flow is prevented by check valve 39. Solvent issuing through check valve 39 is delivered through passage 50 into tank [0. Tank I0 is dividedby baffle 4| into two compartments, which however are in free communication with each other through. passage 42. The compartment to the left of baiile 4| houses pump [4, the intake of which dips into sump 43. Pump it delivers through pipe 44 to filter I6, to be described in detail later. The filtered solvent returns through pipe E5 to reservoir 6 from which overflow pipe permits excess solvent to return to tank It. Reservoir 5 is also vented to tank is above the liquid level in both tanks by means of pipe ll. Reservoir 6 is provided with sight glass 38 (Fig. 3) by means of which the level of the solvent within it can be noted.

The upper edge of baiiie 3i stops short of the level of flange 34. From the level of the upper edge of bafiie 37 the lower section of the housing forms a vat 58 for solvent, into which the washin cylinder dips for about one third of its diameter.

Glass window 56 is provided for observation of the liquid level and circulation within housing 2, 3, l, 5 and more particularly within vat 49 just referred to.

The upper section of housingi, 3, l, 5 is pr vided with baiiies 5i and 52, one at each side of washing cylinder i. Between the lower edges of these ballles and the cylinder the clearance is sufficient to avoid rubbing, but insuihcient to permit free flow of air. 7 I,

Through walls 2 and 3 of the housing are circular openings 53 and 54, adapted to be closed by dampers 55, 56 respectively. Opening 54 communicates through air duct El with the intake of blower i5, this blower being housed in scroll 5B and delivering air through dischargeopening 5-9 (Fig. i), which is preferably of rectangular cross section. V H

Opposite opening 54, in the wall or air duct ill is a similar opening 69, adapted to be closed by damper 6!. Movement of dampers 55, 55 and iii to the right in Fig. 6, closes passages 53 and 54 and opens passage 6i]. ihese dampers are mounted on a common shaft 62 actuatedfthrough a screw thread (not shown) by hand wheel 63.

Washing cylinder i is driven through driving pulley 64, driven pulley 65 and belt (55 at high speed by motor it or, alternatively, at low speed by motor H, which drives through motor (3V and an overdrive clutch, to be described in detail later. Whenmotor i3 is driving, motor ii is disconnected by the overdrive clutch and does not turn.

Registering with opening 53 in wall 3 of the housing is ozoni'zer 61, WhiChiS provided with inlet shutters E8 and ozonizertubes 69.

The o-zonizeritseli forms no part of themvention. Any efficient ozonizer may be used, but I prefer the type illustrated in which air is ozonized by radiant energy, largely ultra-violet light, through the walls, transparent thereto, of

scaled glow dischargetube's, without contact of the air with an electric arc.

The operation of the "apparatus is as follows:

When door 2% has been slid back to the open position the compartments of the washing cylinder are opened one by one and each compartment loaded with material to be cleaned, care being exercised to load all the compartments with approximately equal weights. Door 29 is thenclosed and locked and valve H3 opened by turning handle H. With the dampers 55, 5s and 6l in the alternative position to that shown in Fig. 6, which position openings 53 and 54 are closed and opening 60 open, motor i9 is started'bymoving switch 12 to the on position as inFig. 1. This causes pump M to raise solvent fromtank H3 through filter l6 to reservoir 6, whence it flows by gravity through valve 19 into housing 2, 3, 4, 5,

delivering against the perforate shell of the cylinder and passing through it to the vat 49 at the bottom of the housing. Vat '43 becomes quickly filled with solvent which overflows by passage 13 to tank 10. Motor i7 is then started by moving switch it into the washing position shown in Fig. 1. This causes washing cylinder I to revolve at slow speed (preferably about 28 revolutions per minute). During this operation the materials in the compartments of cylinder 1 are alternately immersed in solvent in vat 29 and then, as the compartment moves to the top position, rinsed by a heavy flow of clean filtered solvent flowing through valve it. The materials are therefore soaked and rinsed with freshly filtered solvent many times a minute and thus cleaned more effectively, and in a shorter time, than if merely soare in the solvent without rinsing or rinsed without soaking, in accordance with the practice of the prior art.

When the materials to be washed have been subjected to this treatment for a sufiicient time, which usually amounts to about 5 minutes, valve 10 is closed and valve 15, Fig. '7, opened, by shifting handle l6, draining all the solvent from vat 49 back into tank i5. Motor H is then stop ed by moving switch 14 into the off position and motor It started by moving switch T l into the straight down or extracting posit-ion. The washing cylinder is thus spun at high speed (c. g., about 860 revolutions per minute) and the materials Within it centrifuged, thus extracting from them in about 5 minutes all the solvent that can be removed in this way. Dampers 55, 5'6 and 61 are then shiftedto the position shown in Fig. '6 and air drawn through the oaonizer, passage 53, the materials in the cylinder, passage 55, and air duct 5'1 to blower i5, whence it is discharged through opening E9 which is connected through air ducts not shown to the outer atmosphere. With the blower drawing air through the inaterials in the washing cylinder, these materials are dried in about four minutes.

Preferably the bee-hirer is not energized until normal air has been drawn through the materials long enough to remove substantially all the morevolatile constituents of the solvent, as it may be undesirable to subject the solvent to an oxidizing atmosphere for an unnecessarily prolonged period. When the materials have been thoroughly dried in this way, therefore, the ozonizer is energized by 'sl'iif'tin-g electric switch 11 and ozonized air drawn through the materials until the relatively non-volatile constituent of the solvent, which are largely responsible for after odor, have been or *t-ively oxidized.

Pilot light "it visual ra ning when the ozonizer is energized, thus minimizing the likelihood of leaving the 'ozoniier g ized when it is not wanted.

The ozone deodorizing feature is clai'inedin divisional application Serial No. 420,138, filed November 21, 1941.

It should noted that duiing the washing operation air is being errant roughopeni'ng fiil and "dischar ed through the diver and opening 59 to the outer air, thus'ventila g the room, and that while the air {is H is di" vn't hrough-opening 53 the room is lik'eurse be'ing ventilated.

It should also termed that thesolvent isco'ntinuously filtered during the washing operation.

It should likewise be noted that when dampers 55 and Ei a re housing 5; "reservoir 6, tank iii; ter iii, etc, constitute anormally closed system, in which the ratio of v01 ume occupie d by '"air to volume occupied by liquid is sufficient to prevent the building up of a 'da'ngerous'or inconvenient pressure at any temperature that can possibly develop in the apparatus under the conditions of use. Also it prevents the building up of a vacuum by cooling of solvent vapor, such as might collapse the apparatus. This is an important feature of my apparatus as it eliminates any necessity for providing a safety valve or vent to the atmosphere, which unless refrigerated, would occasion serious loss of solvent.

Referring to Figs. 6, 8, 9, l and 11:

These figures illustrate the filter and its accessories. The filtering element I03 removed from the rest of the assembly is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 10. This comprises a filter bag.

I64 of woven fabric, preferably cotton, adapted to be slipped over a steel supporting structure. The latter consists of a rectangular sheet of Wire screen I05, heavy enough to be fairly rigid. The edge of the screen at one end is let into a slot extending through a plate I06, to which the screen is welded. Plate I06 is wider than the screen and longer than the screen is wide, so that it forms a flange at one end of the screen. The other three edges of the screen are capped by a thin strip of metal I51 which is folded over the edges of the screen and extends a short distance down each side. The purpose of this strip is to protect the filter bag from being punctured by the ends of the wires of the screen. The mesh of the screen itself affords passage for liquid that has passed through the filter bag, The liquid thus finds its way to the flange end of the filter element, where it passes out through slot I98. Eight of these filter elements are mounted in two banks of four each. The elements of each bank are parallel to each other. They are supported by plate I09 which is slotted to permit each element to drop into its position. The filter elements are spaced by steel frame III]. Filter bag IE4 is flared outward beneath plate I06 so as to form a gasket between it and plate I09. The plates I56 of the filter elements are clamped against plate I05, with the flare cf the filter bag between, so as to make a liquid tight joint therewith, by yokes III. In Figs. 8 and 9 yoke I II is partly broken away better to show adjacent parts. Each filter element I63 is provided with a handle II 2 by which it may be lifted out when yokes III are removed. The whole assembly of filter elements is covered over by cover member H3, The fiow of solvent is therefore through slots I08 to the space I33 beneath cover II3. From here the solvent returns through holes I34 to enclosure I35, with which exit pipe 45 is in communication. Enclosure I35 is preferably placed between the two banks of filter elements, which is not the plane of the section of Fig. 8. The intervening parts are therefore broken away to show some of the holes I34, as well as a part of enclosure I35, in section.

It should be noted that because of the fact that exit pipe 45 is connected to housing I I8 below the flange of cover I I3 this cover can be removed without disconnecting the pipe. The infeed of solvent is through pipe 44, which terminates in perforated nozzle H4, The discharge from the filter is through pipe 45. Shut-off valves I I and I I6 are provided in pipes 44 and 45 respectively for use when it becomes necessary to disassemble the filter. Sight glass I IT is provided in pipe 45 in order that the flow of solvent from the filter may be observed.

The side walls of the filter housing II8 are made corrugated, as these walls are liable .to be subjected to a pressure of as much as pounds per sq. in. However, cover II 3 and the flanged joint which it makes with filter housing I I8, being on the low pressure side of the filter elements, is never subjected to a pressure of more than 3 pounds per sq. in. Gauge H9 is provided in order to show by the back pressure when the filter needs cleaning.

Filter bag I04 is not the filtering medium but only the support for it. The actual filtering medium is a layer of finely divided inert material, such as infusorial earth or filter-aid, with which the bag becomes coated. This material is introduced into the solvent through hopper I20, by opening cover I2I which is normally locked by handle I22. Through hopper I 29 the filtering material is delivered to the stream of solvent at the intake to pump I4. In this way it is quickl deposited on the filter bag.

When the filter has become much clogged with foreign matter this fact is evidenced by a rise in back pressure, as shown by gauge H9. To remedy this situation, during an interval between washing operations the solvent is pumped up into reservoir 8. Valve I I5 is then shut off and valve I23 opened. The solvent ficwing in the reverse direction through the filter by gravity then dislodges the cake of filter-aid or other filtering material which carries the foreign matter. This cake breaks off from the surface of the filter bags in pieces, These are caught by hopper I 24 and directed into sludge drawer I25. This drawer is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 11. It is constructed in the form of an elongated box, with four side walls and two longitudinal partitions. The side walls are of a construction similar to that of filter element Hi3. That is to say, they are of wire screen 52% with edges covered by strips of metal I21, the whole being covered with fabric I23 similar to that used in the filter bags themselves. Therefore when the flow is reversed, the pieces of filter cake are caught in the sludge drawer, while the solvent passes through and returns by pipe I29 to tank It). The purpose of the longitudinal partitions is to increase the surface through which th solvent may percolate in its reverse flow. During the normal operation of the apparatus the sludge drawer is closed, its flange I30 being bolted to flange I3I of the main filter body I I8 so as to make a liquid-tight joint therewith. After the filter cake has been dislodged and caught in sludge drawer I25, and all the solvent returned to tank I5, the sludge drawer is unbolted, withdrawn by means of handle I32 and emptied.

It should be noted that in the normal operation of the filter just described, the solvent first fills sludge drawer I25 and the liquid level then rises until the entire housing below cover H3 is completely filled and every part of the filter surface is utilized; whereas if the flow were downward by gravity, which is common practice, the lower parts of the filter surface would be the most active and the upper parts would never becomes properly coated with filter-aid nor properly cleansed when the fiow was reversed.

The filtering feature is claimed in divisional application Serial No. 420,137, filed November 21, 1941.

Referring to Figs. 8, 9, 12 and. 13:

These figures illustrate the driving connection between motors i1 and I8, by which the two speed drive of the washing cylinder is secured without a gear shift. From these figures it will be seen that motor Il, through its shaft I9 and coupling 80, drives worm 8| (conventionally indicated),

which is mounted on shaft 82, carried by bearings $3. Worm 8i engages worm gear 84 "(likewise conventionally indicated) which is a ring carried by bearing '35, which in turn is mounted on shaft 86 of motor '28. Worm gear 83 carries two driving pins 81 extending through it parallel to shaft 86. Upon pins 6'? are mounted pawls 88, which enage ratchet wheel 39. Ratchet wheel 89 is keyed to shaft 83, Pawls 88 are spring pressed against ratchet wheel "When motor "I l is energized, it therefore drives motor 1.3 through worm 8i, worm gear '55, 'pawls 88 and ratchet wheel 13%; but when motor i8 is energized the pawls "slip over the ratchet wheel and disengage motor H, which therefore stands idle. The worm gear drive between motors ll and 18 provides a very great speed reduction, which not only permits the washing cylinderto be driven'at low speed by motor -I i, when the cylinder .i's-dipping into the solvent and high speed would be unnecessary and undesirable, but enables motor I to develop the relatively high torquenecessary to ve the cylinder under these circumstances. It should be noted that this change from low to high speed is accomplished through the motor starting switches only, without any shifting of gears.

The possibility of motors H and it being started by inadvertence while door 29 is open, or door 29 being opened when'the motors are running, is guarded against by pf as (Fig. 1) which is pushed downward through upper guide when the handle of switch T4 is moved to the washrug-"or extracting positions. Ifdoor 2-9 hould be open, in which position it is slid to the left in Fig. 1, it interferes with pin 9t being pushed downward and thus prevents switch 74 from being moved to operating position. Similarly, when switch T4 is in operating position and pin 99 pushed downward, the latterinterferes with door 29 being pushed to the left.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and i to 6:

During 'iiiterruissions in the washing operation, as for example during the lunch hour or after a days work, the solvent may be distilled.

For Ithis purpose, with valve ll"; closed, the solvent is first pumped up by means of pump il-Il, operated as before described, until reservoir 6 is filled to the level of the overflow, at which level it holds about one-half of the entire charge of solvent. lirom reservoir i3 "the-solvent isallowed to r'eturn by gravity through the still to tank t0, which it does without supervision. The still comprises vaporizer 9i and condenser 532. 'Vapor-izer Bl "comprises an elongated vertical cylinmoved fromthein by ineans of pipes 91, From around these tubes. The water pipes for a'dmission andremoval of cooling water do not show' in the figures. The cold water is of course admitted near the bottom of the column and the warm water removed near .the top, so that the movement is counterfiow with respect to the :solvent. vapors are condensed in the upper part of the tubes and the condensed solvent coo-led the lower part. The cold distilled solvent returns to tank [6 through trapi'lfl2.

It should be noted that when steam is shut on from 100115 83, no liquid is evaporated in the still. Under these conditions :float valve 94 remains closed and serves as the equivalent of a shut-'oii valve in pipe 95.

ll-iake up solventfiis introduced to the apparatus .by removing hand 'hole cover 436 (Fig. 5).

:Manymo'difi'c ations of 'my apparatus within the scope of the invention will suggest themselves to any personskilledin the art. I do .not, therefore, to be limited to the exact mechanical details illustrated. In the claim the word tcylinrlrical .is to be understood in its true mathematical sense, :namely, a surface generated by a straight line moving parallel to itself. it is also to be understood that the expression finclined as applied 'to the axis of the washing cylinder means any angle having a sufficient horizontal component to :enable the washing cylinder .to .dip beneath the surface of the solvent for a part of its rotation and emerge for the remainder.

I claim asmy invention:

1. An apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquids comprising a liquid iti'ght housing, an overflow for cleaning liquid part 'way of the height of said housing, defining in the lower portion or the housing a va'tifor cleaning liquid, at substantially cylindrical foramin'ons container for materials to be cleaned rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and dipping for a part only of its diameter into said vat, :a tank adapted to receive and store cleaning liquid overflowing :from .said vat, means for causing relatively slow rotation of said conminer, and "means for raisingcleaning liquid from said tank and delivering it by gravity against the outside of the unsubiner-ged portion of said container substantially directly :above the axis thereof and through its apreforations to its interror .gnd "thence to said vat.

2. .An apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquids comprising a liquid tight housing, .an overflow for cleaning liquid part way of the height of said housing, defining Pin the lower portion of the housing a vatrfior -zcleaning iii quid, iaisubstantiallycylindrical foraminous container for materials to be cleaned rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and dipping Lfor a :part only of its diameter into said "vat, a tank adapted to receive and store cleanin'gliquidoverflowing from said vat, a reservoir above 'sai'd housing, means for causing relativelyslowirotation "of said container, means iorzraisingicleaning liquid from said tank to said reservoir and means directing gravitational iiow of cleaning 'li'quidi'from said reservoir against the outside of'the unsubrnerbed portion of said container :andrthrough its perforationsto 'its interior and thence to said vat.

apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquid comprising a vat adapted to receive materials tolbe cleaned, a reservoir iadapted Ito Ldeliver cleaning liquid through zavalve-tcontrolled passage 'to said vat, a valve cciritrolledoverflow for cleaning liquid iirom said vat, a tank adapted to receive cleaning liquid overflowing from said vat, a valve controlled passage adapted to empty said vat into aid tank, means for raising cleaning liquid from said tank to said reservoir, an unobstructed overflow for cleaning liquid from said reservoir directly to said tank and an unobstructed vent directly connecting the upper portions of said reservoir and tank; said reservoir, tank, overflows, vent and liquid-raising means forming a closed, vapor tight system when said valves are shut off.

4. An apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquid comprising a vat adapted to receive materials to be cleaned, a reservoir adapted to deliver cleaning liquid through a valve-controlled passage to said vat, a valve-controlled overflow for cleaning liquid from said vat, a tank adapted to receive cleaning liquid overflowing from said vat, a valve controlled passage adapted to empty said vat into said tank, means for raising cleaning liquid from said tank to said reservoir, an unobstructed overflow for cleaning liquid from said reservoir directly to said tank and an unobstructed vent directly connecting the upper portions of said reservoir and tank, a, still adapted to receive cleaning liquid from said reservoir, and a condenser adapted to receive vapor from said still, condense the same and return it to said tank; said reservoir, tank, overflows, vent, liquid-raising means, still and condenser forming a vapor tight system when said valves are shut off.

5. An apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquids comprising a housing defining in its lower portion a vat for cleaning liquid, a container for materials to be cleaned mounted in said housing, a tank adapted to receive cleaning fluid draining from said vat, a reservoir above said housing, means for raising cleaning liquid from said tank to said reservoir, means directing gravitational flow of cleaning liquid from said reservoir to the inside of said container, a still and condenser for cleaning liquid, and means adapted alternatively to direct gravitational flow of cleaning liquid from said reservoir directly to and through said still and condenser to said tank, by-passing said vat.

6. An apparatus for cleaning materials by means of volatile cleaning liquids comprising a liquid tight housing, an overflow for cleaning liquid part way of the height of said housing, defining in the lower portion of the housing a vat for cleaning liquid, a substantially cylindrical foraminous container for materials to be cleaned rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and dipping for a part only of its diameter into said vat, a tank adapted to receive and store cleaning liquid overflowing from said vat, a reservoir above said housing, means for causing relatively slow rotation of said container, means for raising cleaning liquid from said tank to said reservoir and means directing gravitational flow of cleaning liquid from said reservoir against the outside of the unsubmerged portion of said container and through its perforations to its interior and thence to said vat, a still and condenser for cleaning liquid, and means adapted alternatively to direct gravitational flow of cleaning liquid from said reservoir directly to and through said still and condenser to said tank, by-passing said vat,

JOHN E. MARTIN. 

